5 Rules for Designing Attention Grabbing Social Media Visuals Share: PigWorks Date Published 24 March 2020 Categories Blog, Guide Reading Time 4-Minute Read Do you want your social media content to stand out from the crowd? There’s so much to look at on the different social media platforms, all vying for the audience’s attention. What will make your content stand out? Following these simple rules can give you the upper hand when designing visuals, so pay close attention as we unpack them individually. It’s Not One Size Fits All If you don’t want to run the risk of having your image distorted on different platforms because of the different size requirements for each platform, rather design different sizes for each platform. It might seem tedious, but it’s safer to protect your image quality to ensure a rich user experience. You’ve put in the work designing the graphics in the first place, why wouldn’t you want to ensure it gets enjoyed exactly how you intended? There are also some nifty tools available on the internet to help you amend the visuals to the required sizes. Let Your Logo Do The Talking Your logo is your business’ signature. It’s your business’ unique identity that can travel to different places without you having to step one foot outside. Reinforce your brand vigorously by placing your logo on every image you design. Even though the logo shouldn’t be the main focus on the image or detract from the visual, it should still be visible enough. Placing it in the corner or at the bottom of the graphic is usually sufficient. It mustn’t be too large to overshadow the visual nor too small to be completely overlooked. Logo rules: It’s a reflection of you so keep it honest Don’t include too many details Keep it balanced and nuanced Make sure it’s scalable Go on, make your company logo do the talking for you. Think of your logo and social media visuals as a restaurateur would design their perfect restaurant. Identify the theme and work everything around it. Keep It Short Beware of the pitfalls of having too much text in your posts. If your post has to be laden with text be mindful of the layout on the overall posts. The reason why text-heavy posts are avoided by audiences include: Time: Most people skim through information on the internet because they’re inundated with so much information and time is limited. Keep it short and sharp. Entertainment: Social media users are there for the entertainment value they can get out of social media. Reading paragraphs of text is not their idea of fun. Visually stimulating: When you’re faced with so many options, visual stimulation ranks on top of the list for entertainment. People generally prefer looking at pictures as opposed to reading about it. Use fewer fonts, a maximum of three different fonts if necessary. Any more fonts and the entire post will seem chaotic and disorganized. Simplicity Is Key No need to go overboard with different colors and themes, trying too hard to stand out. Having the loudest visuals doesn’t guarantee it will attract the most viewers. On the contrary, busy images detract from your message so keep it simple. Declutter your message until you’re satisfied the core of your message is well understood. If your post doesn’t need text don’t include it just because you feel obligated to caption your image. After all, a picture says a thousand words. Taking the time to design a layered visual that conveys your message in simple terms is key to capturing your audience. Mental note to self: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication – Leonardo da Vinci Let Your Passion Lead You Passion is a powerful driving force. It ignites a spark that comes from deep within your soul. Allow your creative juices to flow freely when designing content. Remember social media is not a stiff environment with loads of strict rules. Neither is your content a longwinded presentation that belongs in a boardroom. Make sure to follow these simple tips: Don’t be scared to make a mistake and avoid taking risks altogether Be bold and follow your instinct Don’t think of the millions who could view your content and get overwhelmed by the pressure but rather enjoy this wonderful opportunity to showcase your talent Most important is to have as much fun as possible Final Thoughts Following the rules has its benefits but it shouldn’t prevent you from trying new innovative ways of creating fantastic content. Designing social media visuals that are relevant to your target market is key. Take the time to study your audience and augment your content accordingly. With the overload of information people are bombarded with daily, make sure your content makes an impact.